all sorts of awesome.

So, this morning I didn't have to be at work until 7:30. So I decided to be awesome and to get up at my normal time and therefore get my run in before work...all was going well...the weather was cloudy, cool...and there is something mildly great about early mornings. And so I ran and I ran... and I ran. I started to see water on my left hand side ( that would be the sound..was I in steilacoom already?! ) and the road just seemed to keep on going. Uh-oh.
I thought for sure this road made a loop at some point, right? But, it was getting on to 7am and I was just getting farther and farther from home.
I was either going to die out there on someone's neighborhood street ( which is just lame) or I was going to have to ask for directions.
I had a mental picture of me dripping with sweat in my gross holey t-shirt, knocking on the door of one of the many houses with a BMW parked out front and asking some maid that didnt speak english how to get home ( which I wasnt even sure where home was). But, luckily I came upon a lady watering her lawn and she told me I was "about a mile" and a half away from the road I needed.
Sweet.
I had about twenty minutes before I needed to be at work.

So that's how I ran four miles in the time I usually run three. haha! I suppose I just need the right motivation. ;-)

June 28th: Summer begins

So apparently summer in Washington doesn't begin at the normal time. But, just when I'd begun to despair...summer finally happened.
So what are some summer characteristics, you ask?

1. Almost die of a heat stroke. Coming from Texas this is pretty much a must, I mean if I'm not sweating profusely and desiring water continually then, I'm sorry, its just not summer....anyway, today I went for my run and I totally thought I was going to die. I wasnt totally recovered for at least an hour after finishing my run. It was awesome.

2. Large bodies of water are required. Now, let me just say that I have a swimming pool about 10 feet from my back door and I have a beach about ten minutes down the road ( maybe less) and I've gone pretty much all year without even the slightest desire to get into either of these bodies of water...till today. Today Brett and I had dinner on the beach and it was fabulous. I mean, SURE when we stuck our feet in the water they immediately turned into ice cubes...but that's beside the point.

3. air conditioning in the car. seriously, today was the first time I turned the air on! I know!! Shocking! And I had to sit there and let it blow in my face for, like, a whole minute ( it was right after that awful run.) Oh, and since we don't even have an air conditioner in our house ( because we don't need it.)...we DO have the fan on. I know. amazing.

4. I'm not wearing a sweater. Yup, it can't really be summer until I no longer have to layer. And today I took my hoodie to the beach and I didnt even have to wear it!! incredible.

6:29

I have one minute before my alarm is suppose to go off. I couldnt go back to sleep after getting up with Brett this morning. Something to do with a headache, something to do with worries. Something to do with too many thoughts...

Anyway, I just wanted to say that yesterday was a beautiful day...I wished I'd had my camera charged for most of it....did lots of walking on the beach, in the park, by a lake, all over Steilacoom....it was great because all that walking came with looooong conversations and a walk/prayer time! Yay!

Lacking, however, was my time with Brett....he was at work until 11 last night! I suppose this was his "welcome back" after his mini-holiday, and so therefore I shouldnt complain...but it DOES leave me wondering-does the army know anything OTHER THAN extremes?!

Alarm goes off.

( apparently the above is how many words I can write in a minute. Impressive. ;-)

go all hardcore.

So, last night we had a little dinner for the newest girls that came to the Thurs. night bible study ( the count just continues to rise! Its amazing! ) ...and ALL the girls showed up ( take that all you nah-sayers that say girls only show up to bible study because boys are there..)! It was way cool to actually chat with some army chicks..I mostly get to talk to Army-wives, but girls in the army...well, I have TONS of respect for them too! Its incredible with what they put up with :-)

Anyway, my absolute favorite part of the evening when I realized that the girl I'd picked up on the way to dinner had been talking about becoming a PRO-wrestler and not just your normal "regular wrestling" ....whoooooa. she just went up, like, five points on the interesting-people-that-I'm-glad-I-know scale.
I SO hope I'm around when she actually has a match so I can go to that....I mean, I feel like that's going to totally suprass the time I worked at the Monster Truck Rally as far as "Places I never thought I'd go"


Speaking of places I never thought I'd go....I am currently excited about the possibility of fulfilling one of my LIFE TIME GOALS. I will hopefully get to visit my cousins in China with Aunt Donnave at the end of the year! I know! Anyway, its one of those things that may help me get through the thought of Brett leaving in November.

I'm leaving you with a quote that I found in a book that you should all read: Bullet Proof: The Making of an Invincible Mind by Chuck Holton.....I'm only on chapter two and I already feel inspired to live my life a little bit less safe ;-)

( actually the quote is from Jim Elliot...)

"God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn up for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life , but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus."

you can't take it with you...

I'm starting to collect boxes and newspapers like a homeless person. And randomly bringing up in conversations that we'll be leaving Washington in three weeks ( for texas anyway...)-even when it doesnt fit the conversation at all. I take pride in turning the conversation back to me:

Person: I'd like a 12 oz Latte with three shots of espresso...
Me: Speaking of three...


I've started mentally inventorying random rooms in our house when I'm trying to fall asleep . And I've also stopped buying groceries ( unless you count: milk, fruit, veggies, chicken and cereal as groceries, which I dont) so that we'll be FORCED to eat the food we already have in the house.

Yes, its true, I may not have a place to live once we get to Kansas but I'm very very slowly starting to think about the fact that I'll be living there in two months.
Make that less than two months.
And the fact that I'll only be able to take stuff that can fit in one of our cars, which means...well...I maaaay have to do without a few bottles of half empty shampoo. *sigh*
I hate packing. I realize that I've started to turn into my father and all I want to do is throw everything remotely unused out.


In other news, I'm going to a dinner party this evening and I invited a girl who came to bible study for the first time last week, I just got off the phone with her and she said, "I'm bringing my appetite!"

I don't know, it just struck me as really cute, and she's pretty much my new favorite person.

Me and M. Night

So, it turns out that not only is M Night Shyamalan falling down on his game. But sadly. So am I. I just took a little gander at my past blogs, you know one of those "what was I doing this time in June 2005, 2006...) well.... according to myself ( and who's a better critic than ME?!) I was waaaaaaay funnier back then.

I've become way to serious. for serious.

And its not like life is going to really get more light hearted so I really just need to make a mental switch, find myself a new Evil Neighbor to make fun of. Something. Anything.

disappointment.

So, tonight I just finished writing a whole list of why I've been a bad Navigator's Girls Leader. And yes, it was long, and yes it seems I've accomplished very little-but at least I know that ultimately all the girls are in Christ's hands and He can do great things with each and every one. Its upsetting when you can't FORCE people to turn up...do there study....have quiet times....love people. ( that last one especially)...hahaha, I guess if we did have that kinda power, that would make this whole life we're all living a whole different cup of tea, aye? ;-) I guess basically it all boils down to me wishing that I was either smart enough, spiritual enough, gifted enough to inspire people to greatness ( myself included).

*sigh*
I need to pray more.

Annnyway, in other disappointing news: The Happening, the latest M. Night Shyamalan movie-BIG disappointment. Not only did I have to shut my eyes A LOT, but I also found that there was no "surprise" or "twist" or anything to redeem all the disturbing plot developments. Boo, M. Night, BOO! In fact, I'm worried about him, his last one just barely made it into my thumbs up category....I hope he's not loosing his edge completely.

Luckily, Brett and I did a double feature today, first we saw Get Smart...which was totally great, and I felt it really stood by its television roots as well as developing nicely for future movies. Totally happy with that one. And yes, we DID see two movies back to back and spent heaps of money at the movie theatre. Its so unfair that SO many movies we want to see are coming out this summer, its pretty much taking up all our holiday funds. ;-)

Hancock
Wanted
The Dark Knight
Mamma Mia
The X-Files: I want to believe
Swing Vote
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Two ( HAHAHAHAHA! Just kidding...)

fan favorites??

So, I got two free song downloads from itunes for buying concert tickets....and now I'm torn. There are several entire CDs that I want to buy...but just singles?? I just dont know....

Anybody have some one off songs that I just NEED to have?!

Comment away!

no holds barred

So kids, looks like we've got ONE MORE MONTH of "Life in Washington: The Wilsons" before things get really crazy. Last week Brett and I spent the whole week living it up with Anna and Ryan, Steve and Billie....it was fantastic. It was also strange because it was as though we were on vacation in our own home. This was helped significantly by the fact that Brett did not have to go out on the field and therefore had more free time to spend with the family. ( amazing miracle, by the way.)...but now everyones back in the Texas heat and things are starting to sink in that we're leaving Washington so soon. There is a lot to do.
And here's a question that people keep asking me ( for very very good reason). "Abigail, have you found a place to live in Kansas yet?" And I say, "um. no"

I'm not worried. Yet. For whatever reason, I feel sure that God will somehow provide a place for me to live....
And currently there are a lot of things at hand to take care of ( I feel like finding a place to live in Kansas is very remote at the moment).

One thing I would like to say is that I feel the past week was a lovely little reminder ( bitter sweet ) of what a wonderful place Washington has been...minus all the bad weather, it can truly be spectacular. We visited both Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helen while the fam was in town and I was truly blown away by the beauty we saw...His majesty is everywhere.

I have also had several reminders this week of what a beautiful place God has given me to work. On Tuesday, one of my regulars saw that Brett was sitting over on his computer while I was working and so he went over and told him that he had heard about us leaving ( I talk a lot at work...) and asked if he could pray for Brett...and then he went ahead and put a hand on Brett right there and prayed for him.
Yes. Really sweet.

And then yesterday one of my other regulars brought me a ceramic mug that he had made, he apparently does pottery in his spare time and wanted to give me a going away present! AWW!

Anyway, sometimes it is really incredible just how wonderful my job has been for me in this particular season in life, and in this particular time in Washington. It was not just something to do or a way to make money...it also taught me a lot and showered a lot of blessing from unlooked for sources. I suppose what I am trying to say, is that while I am not sure what is going to happen a month or two from now, I feel sure that it will be more than what I could ask for, and it will meet all the needs that God feels need to be met. To be honest, I feel totally showered by blessing at the moment, the idea that we'll get to spend three weeks( ish) in Texas, and the fact that Brett will be taking almost a month off from work-all of these things are truly truly wonderful and I hope that I can soak them up to their very fullest since I feel they will soon be poured out again...

Well, I am off to Bible Study now, but I just wanted to say "Hi" and that life's about to get interesting and I promise that blog posts will start to be more frequent again.

then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

gone, but not forgotten?

Sorry I've been MIA of late...it seems that when you've got your sister and brother-in-law staying in your home plus your second parents in town, and a Luthier Conference added on top-one finds that there is little time to check ones emails much less write a blog...

Anyway, dont worry...I havent forgotten about you, and I'll be back some time next week :-)

rebel, no cause

I decided to wear the "thin" long-sleeved shirt today...afterall, just because its cold and pouring down rain doesnt negate the fact that it's freakin JUNE which is...SUMMER.
Yeah, that's right. I'm a rebel. A weather rebel.

Oh and the shirt just so happens to match my cutesy new cupcake earrings ( thanks amy!)..

In other news, I'm trying most desperately to get out of an FRG meeting for this evening. I mean, SURE it promises to be my last, but so did the meeting I went to last week...and let's be honest, the army has always been super good at lying to me. Anyway, this meeting I'm particularly dreading because its the one where I'm suppose to "hand over" my POC duties to the new Platoon Leader's wife. While this sounds awesome, I have to do said hand over with the FRG leader sitting there...and so everyone is bound to know once and for all that I do the BARE MINIMUM. This brings up something I'm suspected for a long time...that
A) I'm totally lazy.
B) I'd rather not people know about A).

I really need to grin and bare it. I mean, surely it will only last three or four hours ( that's JUST HOW LONG these things last. not. kidding.) and then I'll put the whole thing behind me. Learn my lesson and be a better army wife in Kansas. *sigh*

Things that are good...

First of all, go see Kung Fu Panda. This movie is totally and completely fabulous. I laughed the whole time and then continued to laugh throughout the day when things would remind me of the movie...

Best quote: "Blinded by the light of his shear awesomeness."

Also good things: The early ( but needed right now) going away present from Amy= What Not to Wear on DVD PLUS What Not to Wear book ( make no mistake, we're talking the US version not the UK version...Stacey and Clinton are a million times better than the original)...oh, and cupcake earrings. That's right, earrings that are also cupcakes. Awesome.

I also just upped one of my "Jobs I would totally like to do" up to something I'd REALLY like to do...today I went and "consulted" with Amy about her wedding makeup, and it was SO MUCH FUN! Basically, at the army PX the Clinique counter is really relaxed ( actually all the make up counters are ) and the lady there let me take over her make up and I got to just GO WILD with Amy...it was such fun!!! And I've decided that being a make-up lady would be the best job-except after talking to said makeup lady I found out some important factors:
#1 Make up ladies at military posts are better than make up ladies at department stores BECAUSE they DONT work on commission.
#2 I'd totally have to start wearing make up.
#3 these jobs are highly sought after and are easily transferable ( which would be good).

So, now I'm praying that if God will let me be a make-up lady, that he'll open up a spot for me in Kansas...

*sigh* But, I'll try not to get my hopes up.

In other news, I must cut this post short because my feet are FREEZING ( FYI: who ever said washington summers were great, failed to mention that they arent summers at all...its SO COLD! BOOOOOO!)

Re-alignment

"Every good and perfect gift is from the Lord..."

I think so often as Christians we get really, really confused. For whatever reason we start re-writing these kind of verses and make them more like this, "Every good and perfect gift is coming my way, because I am the Lord's"

Negatory, my dear friends. *Negatory. *A word that does not exist but really should, since I use it all the time in everyday speech.

In this day in age the Westernized World ( especially here in the States) is pretty darn sure they deserve success, they deserve happiness, freedom and justice...and even more so, as Christians we start thinking since we're a bunch of people that pray ( and therefore have an "in" with the Big Guy) that we're also going to get all of the things we've ever wanted... in a timely fashion-no less.
But, lately I am starting to realize ( not only that this is far from true, or even what the Bible promises us...) but also what a great blessing DIFFICULTIES are!

I never would have thought that after less than a year in Washington, and after about one year of marriage, Brett and I will be facing some really Heavy stuff. Yet, even now-while I'm still only facing the beginnings of this challenge-I am starting to see that this is God's real plan for my life.

How ELSE would I learn to rely on Him every single day? How ELSE would I learn the importance of prayer, the importance of reading His Word? How ELSE would I be able to give encouragement to those who are going through similar difficulties? How ELSE would I realize just how weak I am, how quick to fail? How ELSE would I see, more clearly than ever, that this life that I lead is really not my life at all?

Do you have dreams? Goals? Things you want to do with you life? Neat and tidy plans that you've secretly ( or not so) set out on a timeline and "given to God" so that He'll bring them to pass and one day you'll be able to "Praise Him" by giving a testimony that basically says "God gave me everything I ever wanted, and more?" Well, unfortunately, you're going to be surprised to find that the Story that God has waiting for your life will be far different from the plans and dreams you have now. More likely than not, if you are truly seeking Him and wanting His way in your life and not your own-than things will turn out far differently than your original dream....

It'll be better.

Better not because you'll be rich, famous, free, successful, or any other of the things...but because you'll slowly have the REAL promises of God made real in your life...the promises about being "transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."

happy.

Good things about today:

-The THREE shot coffee I made for myself this morning
-CT results that show I have no kidney stones ( check that option off the list!)
-Holding a happy baby ( while she chewed on a straw) for 20 minutes while at work today :-)
- Meeting up with Cindy and talking about the future trials ( some times talking makes me calmer)
-Getting to hear Courtney's testimony and talk to her about sharing tomorrow night. I'm SO excited about what God's going to do through her life.

update...

In an email from Brett today about Kansas:

I found out today that I'll really only have Sunday's off from training instead of the whole weekend. =( And it sounds like the very best you can hope for is around 1900 being off during the week, and then other nights are spent training into whatever hour of the night. I don't know what the ratio of those days are to the 1900 days.

Just when I was starting to think it couldn't really get worse.

rain on the parade.

This morning I woke up to rain on the roof...which is such a, "Just stay in bed" kind of sound!! You'd never know it was "summer"...its, like 60 degrees outside right now! BOO! I'm wearing long sleeves and a sweater. Which is why I've been researching tropical destinations all morning.

Last night Brett got home at 6pm and then he worked until 10pm at the dining room table. Poor guy, he's going out into the field for two weeks and yet has to work evenings up until he leaves! I watched the Transporter while he worked and he's stop working to watch the "good fight scenes"

I'm hoping to meet up with Courtney this afternoon, she just got back from visiting her family in Texas this morning so maybe just maybe the REAL summer weather rubbed off on her! I'm also going to help her go over her testimony for Bible Study on Thursday...I'm really excited about bible study this week since it'll be the first time I've had all the girls together in one big group since we started up the new "small groups" thing so I am looking forward to seeing how its all going and giving my "pep talk" for next months study ;-) hehehe...

I'm also starting to see the light about the whole "move to Kansas" thing...I spent most of the morning on Craigs list looking at want ads-and then I got an email from Brett saying a friend of his from college is from that area as well and she might have some connections too! I know that this is going to work out somehow, now I'm just REALLY excited to see how!!

I started to tell more of my customers at the coffee shop that I'm leaving. One of them told me that he's an amateur painter and that he wants to give me one of his pieces as a going away gift. How cool is that? *sigh* I'm going to be SO sad to leave all my little old people....who will take care of them when I'm gone?! Thank GOODNESS I'm giving my shift to Amy, at least I know she'll appreciate my regulars and take care of them like they deserve.

abundantly

It probably won't get easier-yet anyway. But, that hasn't stopped Help from already coming...today I have been showered by encouragement. I almost feel guilty that I've been blessed so. Your emails, your prayers, your messages....wow.


Lead on, O King eternal,
we follow, not with fears,
for gladness breaks like morning
where'er thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted o'er us,
we journey in its light;
the crown awaits the conquest;
lead on, O God of might.


Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her by God.-Luke 1:45

For this is what the LORD says:
"I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.

As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes. Is 66:12-14

Painful perspective

I was awakened many times last night in pain. Gotta love the beautiful timing of this endometrosis /kidney stone thing...( I think its possible its stress related.)
And during prayer time this morning ( at 4:30 no less) I was feeling pretty much awful. totally and completely helpless. Life. Its sooo hard.

But, then again this is good, right? No more of me trying to do things in my own strength. I quite literally, CAN'T. Today I went and got another Cat Scan of my abdomen. And then I went to the grocery store. And then I wanted to cry.

Everything is so tiring.

Anyway, now I'm at work and I'm trying to check things off my to-do list.

You see, I really do have the best husband in the world. Last night when I was feeling particularly low he helped me make a to-do list of all the things we need to accomplish in the next three months...making that list quite literally made me feel calmer. Probably because it gave me the sense of control, which we all know is not even true. *sigh* I have so much growing to do. I want so badly to be able to handle all of this better. I want to be calmer, kinder.